


A Trip To The Museum

by LILYpadsROX



Series: Gigantic Bubble Universes [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: AU, F/M, Single Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-01
Updated: 2016-01-01
Packaged: 2018-05-10 19:02:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5597278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LILYpadsROX/pseuds/LILYpadsROX
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. Single parents, Oliver and Felicity, meet at a museum. "Which lead Oliver to this very moment. Sitting in the Starling City Children's Museum, his daughter needing a diaper change, and not a single one of the men's rooms had a changing table."</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Trip To The Museum

Never in his whole life had Oliver hated a museum more than he did this one. 

And that is saying something. 

At 27, he had never been a fan of museums. Of course his school used to drag him to one or two every year. Occasionally as a child Rasia, or who ever was Tommy's nanny, would take them on a rainy day. Usually he would completely tune the guide out, or he and Tommy would sneak away and go into all the restricted sections. Museums were boring. A bunch of reading and stuff that didn't move. What was to like?

Yet here he was. Willingly in a museum for the first time ever, and he was miserable. Although for reasons 12 year old him would never have thought of. 

Oliver Queen sat in the Starling City children's museum and hoped his day couldn't get any worse. 

The day had started off like most mornings. His daughters cries woke him up at 3 am. At six months old, Julia only slept in 6-7 hour increments. But Oliver loved it. His daughter was the best thing to even happen to him. He would do anything for Julia. 

Before his daughter was born he was selfish and irresponsible. Drinking, partying, he couldn't even finish college. He completely feared any form of commitment. Hell, he was pretty sure that was the only reason he never woke up from one of his parties with a tattoo. Then his ex-girlfriend found out she was pregnant, and Oliver changed. He had found something in his life that he wanted to do. And if you had told anyone that Oliver Queen was the most attentive, loving, hands-on father, they wouldn't have believed it. 

Which lead Oliver to this very moment. Sitting in the Starling City Children's Museum, his daughter needing a diaper change, and not a single one of the men's rooms had a changing table. 

How any place, let alone a children's museum, still subscribed to the notion that only women changed diapers, was ridiculous. 

And Oliver refused to changer her on the ground, as a first time parent he may be just a tad germaphobic. 

All around him parents, grandparents, and nannies were very occupied with their children. Julia whimpered in his arms reminding him yet again of how urgent this situation was becoming. 

Looking around Oliver noticed a woman with a baby the same age as Julia. She appeared to be alone juggling a stroller, a diaper bag, a fallen blanket, and a crying baby all at the same time. 

Oliver stood and made his way over to the woman. 

"Hello." He said as he stood in front of her. 

The woman must not have heard him over the cries of her son. 

Oliver readjusted his own diaper bag and bent down to pick up the fallen blanket. He stood and held out the blanket to the woman. 

"Oh thank you so much. God I swear it's like once you become a parent they should give you a third arm." The woman babbled. "Byron here manages to both get into everything and drop everything all at the same time. I swear I don't have enough eyes. Oh my god, here I am talking away and I don't even know you. I'm so sorry. I bet you were just thing to be nice and now I've probably talked you to death and you don't even know my name." The woman paused and took a breath. "Hi. Felicity Smoak. I would shake your hand but I think we both have our hands full." She said gesturing toward both of their babies. 

Oliver smiled. This woman was something else. "Hi. Oliver Queen, and this is Julia, my daughter."

"Hi Julia." Felicity smiled. "This is my son Byron, although I may have mentioned his name already. As you may notice, I tend to babble."

"I did notice." Oliver said, chuckling. 

Felicity blushed. 

"Felicity, this may sound like a very odd request."

"Oh?"

"But it seems that none of the men's bathrooms have changing tables. I'm sorry to ask, but would you mind taking my daughter into the bathroom and changing her diaper? I'll watch your son. And that in no way makes up for that. But I'm really in a bind here, and it would be so appreciated."

Felicity smiled. "Look who's babbling now. I'd be happy to take her Oliver."

"Thank you so much. Maybe we could buy you and Byron some lunch afterwards. I hear the cafeteria makes some mean yogurt and fruit. It is Julia's favorite."

"I'm sure we would love that." Felicity placed Byron in his stroller, much to his protest, and her diaper bag next to it. Reaching out she took Julia from Oliver and shouldered his diaper bag. 

"Everything you might need is in there. Diapers, cream, powder, a toy if she won't lay still, water, extra clothes, a blanket if she gets cold, a pillow if you think the changing table is too hard, an extra changing pad."

"Wow Oliver. I think you may bring more than I do. And I thought I was a crazy parent."

Oliver grimaced. His family was always telling him that. 

Felicity saw the look on Oliver's face. Reaching out she grabbed his forearm. "Oh no, I mean that as a good thing. Wow, okay I'm going to go changer her diaper before I really put my foot in my mouth." Turning, she made her made her way towards the nearest bathroom, leaving Oliver and Byron to wait. 

Byron sat in his stroller and continued to wail. It seemed that his mom leaving him with a stranger hadn't made him feel any better. 

"Hi Byron." Oliver said as he reached down to pick him up out of the stroller. "My name is Oliver." As Oliver held Byron, his wails softened. Oliver stood as began swaying to calm the boy down. "Hey Byron. How do you feel about basketball? Hm? Well, how about I tell you about the Duke Basketball vs. Long Beach State game?" Byron cries calmed to a low whimper. 

Oliver paced back and forth while he told Byron about a basketball game he had gone to see with Tommy a few years ago. "… the lead for spurts in the first half. Duke went into the break only up by six at 42-36, but came out on fire in the second half to outscore Long Beach State 61-45 to seal the win…"

"Oh my god, you got him to stop crying. I swear it's like he has been crying for 5 straight days. I mean I've tried everything. I thought if I brought him here he may entertain himself out of crying."

Oliver turned to see Felicity standing behind him as his daughter grabbed Felicity's ponytail and began trying to stuff chunks of hair into her mouth. 

"I think you may have a basketball fan on your hands." Oliver said as he knelt down and strapped Byron back into his stroller. "I was telling him all about a game I went to with my friend, Tommy. He loved it. I think he was too enthralled to remember to keep crying." 

Oliver stood and took Julia back from Felicity, gently prying Felicity's hair from Julia's fists and mouth. "Felicity thank you so much for doing that. I don't think I can thank you enough."

Felicity smiled as she shouldered her own diaper bag and began pushing Byron's stroller. "Well how about that lunch you promised. I seem to remember yogurt and fruit being mentioned."

Oliver smiled as he followed her towards the cafeteria. "That I did."

Hours later found Julia and Byron splashing about the water room in the museum while Oliver and Felicity honestly discussing suing any place that allowed children and babies to become completely soaking wet, and then advertise for a sand room next-door. 

Oliver looked up from the kids to watch Felicity. She laughed and smiled as Julia smashed her hands against the water, sending water flying onto everyone's faces. 

"Felicity, you're remarkable."

"Thank you for remarking on it."

A hard yank on his shirt from Byron broke Oliver and Felicity's from continuing to gaze and smile at each other. 

At the end, it was not the worst time Oliver had ever had in a museum. Turns out it was just the beginning of a series of wonderful times at the museum. 

Years later, when Oliver found himself, yet again, at the Starling City children's museum, Felicity smiled and handed him their son. 

"Your turn daddy." She said smiling. 

"Yeah daddy." Julia echoed. "Your turn to change John's dirty diaper!"

"Ew. That's so dirty." Byron said. 

Felicity chucked. "Aren't you glad all the bathrooms have changing tables now?" She asked Oliver. 

"Of course. But if they didn't, how would I have met you?" He said lovingly.

He stood and bent to kiss Felicity. 

He loved museums now.


End file.
